Systems for recording and controlling the creation of music have become increasingly complex and sophisticated with the advant and development of digital computers and data processing systems. For example, a musical product can be shaped by the use of systems including digital computers and data processing to provide sounds and effects not capable of being provided from the capabilities normally provided by any instrument or combination of instruments.
Even though the systems now in use can provide sounds and effects not capable of being normally provided by any instrument or combination of instruments, such systems have severe limitations in their use. For example, the systems now in use transmit data from different stations in the system at a relatively low rate such as approximately 31.25 kilobits per second. This limits the number of stations which can be included in the system before undesirable audible effects occur. For example, when ten (10) stations are included in such a system, the delay between the communication of information from the first and last stations is audible to the ear. When as many as twenty (20) stations are included in the system, the delay between communications from the first and last stations is objectionable. This can be overcome somewhat by providing parallel networks but it is not easy to construct or control such configurations.
The systems now in use enable a plurality of music synthesizers from different manufacturers to be controlled from a single source at the same time. However, the systems do not have the flexibility of providing for the insertion of new stations into the sequence or of providing for the removal of stations from the sequence without affecting at least temporarily the sound produced by such systems. Because of this, the systems now in use do not have the flexibility which performers often desire and even require. For example, they prevent different synthesizers and master keyboards from being included in the system on a flexible basis.
The systems now in use also lack other flexibilities. For example, during the time that a system is being set up, different stations in the set-up mode may transmit data packets to other stations in the set-up mode. In this way, adjustments can be provided in the sound and sound effects transmitted by the different stations to provide a balance in the composite sound from the different stations. After this adjustment has been provided, it may be desired to provide for an operation of the stations in a performance mode where the performers at different stations actually perform in producing music which is melded into a composite sound. It may be desired to have not all of the stations in the set-up mode included in the performance mode.
The systems now in use are not able to be converted easily from the set-up mode to the performance mode, particularly when only selected stations in the set-up mode operate in the performance mode. For example, the systems now in use often require changes in the connections between different stations to be made physically under such circumstances so that an interruption in the operation of the system occurs.
The limitations discussed in the previous paragraph have been compounded or aggravated because the instruments, such as synthesizers, at the different stations have been manufactured by different companies and have been provided with different data bases by such different manufacturers. This has required different programs to be used for the different stations. Even with the expanded capabilities of current data processing systems, it has been difficult for the data processing systems to meld the different programs into an operative system.
There are other serious problems with the systems now in use. For example, several stations may inadvertently become simultaneously disconnected from the system. Under such circumstances, it has been difficult for the systems now in use to adapt quickly to restore such stations into the system. As another example, when the power to the systems now in use has been turned on, it has been difficult for the stations to become programmed into the system automatically and quickly in a particular sequence.